Machshavah Lab
456 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsMy name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. My goal as a Torah educator is not merely to teach my students my OWN hashkafah. Rather, my goal is to equip them with the foundations, the methodological training, and the tools which will enable them to arrive at their OWN understanding of Judaism and cultivate their OWN relationship with Hashem and His Torah. This podcast is devoted to the shiurim I give which are geared specifically towards that end. As such, the range of topics covered here will be diverse. There will be shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Chumash methodology, aggadic midrashim, maybe even some non-Jewish philosophy as well. Merriam-Webster defines "laboratory" as a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. I call this podcast "Machshavah Lab" because this is where we will conduct Torah "experiments" by exploring questions, texts, and ideas in an effort to develop our machshavah in a "hands on," exploratory, firsthand manner.
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Episodes
Q&A #38: Shefoch, Split-Hallel, Babies, Begin w/Degradation, Baruch ha'Makom, Haggadah Methodology
April 19, 2024 20:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MBQ&A #38: Shefoch, Split-Hallel, Babies, Begin w/Degradation, Baruch ha'Makom, Haggadah Methodology Length: 1 hour 3 minutes Synopsis: This morning (4/18/24), in our pre-Pesach women's Q&A, we took up six questions: (1) What's the deal with the "shefoch chamasecha" intro to Hallel? (2) Why do we interrupt Hallel at the seder with the meal? (3) The focus of the seder should be young children, but what can be done for babies? (4) Series of questions on the halacha that our telling of the story...
The Whore in the Haggadah
April 19, 2024 01:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBLength: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: This evening (4/18/24), in lieu of our usual Thursday night women's Pirkei Avos shiur, we decided to do a deep dive into one of the most cryptic derashos in the Haggadah: the drashah on the phrase "and numerous," which quotes a pair of perplexing pesukim from Sefer Yechezkel. We raise a few questions, familiarize ourselves with Chazal's interpretation, raise a few more questions, read through the entire perek, and attempt to formulate an answer. Did we suc...
Haftaras Tazria: Charging Money for Miracles
April 12, 2024 04:00 - 4 minutes - 3.29 MBLength of the article: 1 page Length of the audio: 3 minutes 54 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 4/12/24 (originally written on 3/18/14), entitled: Haftaras Tazria: Charging Money for Miracles. How would you react if a Jewish holy man did a miracle for you? How might your opinion change if he charged you money? This week's haftarah shows Elisha's view. As a navi, he's certainly qualified. ----- The Torah conten...
Astronomy vs. Omens: A Jewish View of the Eclipse
April 05, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBLength: 1 hour 25 minutes Synopsis: This evening (4/4/24), in lieu of our usual Thursday night women's Pirkei Avos shiur, we decided to prepare ourselves for the upcoming solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 by learning through enough key sources to develop an authentically "Jewish" framework for our eclipse experience. We began by examining the mitzvah to study the eclipse and examined the greatest model among the Rishonim of someone who devoted his life to this mitzvah. Next, we compared and con...
Shemini: DUI (Davening Under the Influence)
April 04, 2024 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.36 MBLength of the article: 1 page Length of the audio: 4 minutes Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 4/4/24 (originally written on 3/21/14), entitled: Shemini: DUI (Davening Under the Influence). Nadav and Avihu's punishment seems harsh, especially if their sin was drinking a little wine. An analysis of the philosophy behind the prohibition of DUI reveals why their penalty was so severe. ----- Once upon a time, there was a po...
Tzav: Heavenly Fire and Hidden Miracles
March 29, 2024 16:00 - 11 minutes - 8.26 MBLength of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 8 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/29/24, entitled: Tzav: Heavenly Fire and Hidden Miracles. Purim may not always fall out during the week of Parashas Tzav, but there is a thematic connection between the theme of Purim and the reason for a perplexing mitzvah at the beginning of the parashah. ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anon...
Avos 4:4 - Be Very, Very Humble (Part 1)
March 29, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 52.9 MBLength: 1 hour 16 minutes Synopsis: This evening (3/28/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began learning the next mishnah which is about humility - or, to be precise, "extreme lowliness of spirit." We started learning through the Rambam's lengthy commentary, which is essentially a treatise on humility, but because this required us to do an overview of the Rambam's entire approach to character traits in Hilchos Deios, we only made it through the first two paragraphs of...
Ralbag's Lessons from Megilas Esther: Part 3 (#27-35)
March 22, 2024 17:00 - 1 hour - 44.7 MBNote: You do NOT need to have listened to Parts 1 or 2 in order to follow Part 3. Length: 1 hour 5 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/22/24), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued learning through the Ralbag's toalos, continuing at the beginning of Chapter 4 and concluding Chapter 5. Whereas many of the toalos we discussed last time seemed ancillary to the main ideas of the story, the toalos we read today showcase the righteousness and strategic wisdom of Mordechai and Esther,...
The Ambiguous Vibe of Taanis Esther
March 21, 2024 22:00 - 12 minutes - 8.31 MBLength of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 13 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/21/24, entitled: The Ambiguous Vibe of Taanis Esther. How should we feel on Taanis Esther? I attempted to use this article to figure out the answer for myself, but ended up more confused than I was when I started. I present to you: my confusion. ----- The Torah content from now through Shushan Purim has been spo...
A Theory Connecting Purim to Yom ha’Kipurim Which is NOT Based on Specious Linguistics
March 18, 2024 16:00 - 7 minutes - 5.42 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 1 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I originally published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/16/22 and 3/17/22, entitled: A Theory Connecting Purim to Yom ha’Kipurim Which is NOT Based on Specious Linguistics, which I edited and republished today, on 3/18/24. Have you heard someone connect Purim to Yom ha'Kippurim? I used to dismiss such ideas as fanciful and lacking any basis ... until I found...
Ralbag's Lessons from Megilas Esther: Part 2 (#15-26)
March 15, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 45 MBLength: 1 hour 5 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/15/24), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued learning through the Ralbag's toalos. After an introduction, in which we spoke about the difference between Chazal's "villainize the wicked" approach and the Ralbag's toeles method, we pressed on in the toalos making through chapter 3, which covers 26 out of the total 51. Lots of nice ideas, just like last time! We'll see if we end up trying to finish them next week or if we end up...
Vayakhel/Pikudei: Tedious by Design
March 15, 2024 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.52 MBLength of the article: 1 pages Length of the audio: 4 minutes 14 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/15/24, entitled: Vayakhel/Pikudei: Tedious by Design. In this newsletter dvar Torah from 2012, we examine four answers offered by Ralbag to the most pressing question on both Vayakhel and Pekudei: Why all the needless repetition? ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by the Fischbeins (who enjoy read...
Ralbag's Lessons from Megilas Esther: Part 1 (#1-14)
March 15, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBLength: 1 hour 18 minutes Synopsis: This evening(3/14/24), during our regularly schedule Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we instead embarked on an exciting Purim-related journey. As is his style, the Ralbag concludes sections of his Biblical commentaries with "toalos" (a.k.a. lessons) in halacha, middos, and philosophical ideas which he gleans from the text. He concludes Megilas Esther with 51 such lessons. Tonight, we began learning through them! The most obvious goal was to learn the particul...
Four Pillars of Classroom Management (2012 Edition)
March 08, 2024 15:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBLength of the article: 8 pages Length of the audio: 22 minutes 59 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/8/24, entitled: Four Pillars of Classroom Management (2012 Edition). This is the email I send to new teachers who are struggling with classroom management. Although I wrote this in 2012, I still stand by these principles. I hope this helps new teachers find their way. ----- This week's Torah content has been spo...
Ki Tisa: “Please Erase Me From Your Book”
March 01, 2024 05:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MBLength of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/1/24, entitled: Ki Tisa: “Please Erase Me From Your Book.” What was Moshe thinking when he asked Hashem to erase him from His book? I began writing an article, based on Sforno, which turned into 90% of a written shiur. I hope you still find it insightful! ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Jon...
Ki Tisa – “Please Erase Me From Your Book”
March 01, 2024 05:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MBLength of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/1/24, entitled: Ki Tisa – “Please Erase Me From Your Book.” What was Moshe thinking when he asked Hashem to erase him from His book? I began writing an article, based on Sforno, which turned into 90% of a written shiur. I hope you still find it insightful! ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Jo...
Tetzaveh: Urim v’Tumim – the Emergency (Outdated?) Divine Telegraph System
February 23, 2024 05:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBLength of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 34 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/23/24, entitled: Tetzaveh: Urim v’Tumim – the Emergency (Outdated?) Divine Telegraph System. In this article we examine three reasons why the staves of the Ark may not be removed. Each reason has implications for the way we relate to the Torah today. ----- This week's Torah content has been made possible by my P...
Q&A #37: Moshiach, Moshiach, Moshiach, Short-Torah Recommendations, AI, When to Listen to Podcasts
February 16, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 42.7 MBLength: 1 hour 1 minute Synopsis: This morning (2/16/24), in a women's Q&A, we took up four questions - or at least, a cluster of related questions, followed by three isolated questions: (1) LOTS of questions about moshiach! (2) What short-form shiurim/Torah would I recommend? (3) What steps can we take to make sure that we don't become too dependent on AI? (4) When should and shouldn't a person listen to podcasts? ----- מקורות: מגילה דף יז עמוד ב רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות מלכים ו...
Avos 4:3 - Don't Diss Anyone or Anything
February 16, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 47.1 MBLength: 1 hour 8 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/15/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the next mishnah in our perek. This one was also authored by Ben Azzai, but unlike the last one, this did NOT seem like it belonged in Avos. It felt much more like a pasuk from Mishlei, in content and in style. But we were still able to get some nice Avos(ish) ideas from it! ----- מקורות: אבות ד:ג רמב"ם רבינו יונה רשב"ץ בראשית רבה סג:ח מאירי ספורנו רש"י ר' יעקב ב"ר שמשון ר...
Q&A #36: Dealing with Guilt, Strengthening Halacha Observance, and Self-Diagnosis of Trends
February 15, 2024 14:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBLength: 37 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/15/24), in our Q&A, we took up three questions, in what turned out to be the most important Q&A of the 2023-2024 year thus far: (1a) What role should guilt play in our lives and (1b) how should we deal with it? (2) What strategies can we use to strengthen our attachment to and observance of halacha? and (3) How do you know whether a change in your behavior is a result of the temporary circumstances or is indicative of a more substantial change? I ...
Terumah: Badei ha’Aron (The Staves of the Ark)
February 15, 2024 06:00 - 8 minutes - 5.99 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 50 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/15/24, entitled: Terumah: Badei ha’Aron (The Staves of the Ark). In this article we examine three reasons why the staves of the Ark may not be removed. Each reason has implications for the way we relate to the Torah today. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Isaac, out of Hakaras HaTov to ...
Mishpatim: Which Gerim Shouldn’t We Oppress?
February 09, 2024 17:00 - 8 minutes - 6.13 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 2 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/9/24, entitled: Mishpatim: Which Gerim Shouldn’t We Oppress? We're familiar with the Torah's repeated warnings about how we treat a ger. We assume that "ger" is one who converted to Judaism. But is this necessarily true? R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam begs to differ. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponso...
Avos 4:2 - Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah, v'Aveirah Goreres Aveirah (Part 2)
February 09, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBLength: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/8/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we spent a second night analyzing Ben Azzai's teaching about mitzvos and aveiros. After reviewing our questions and the basic ideas we came up with last time, we learned the Rambam's approach, followed by the Sforno's. Both were difficult, but I'm happy with what we came up with. What I love most is how this mitzvah has actually impacted my real-world decisions I've made about how I ...
That Time Onkelos Resurrected Jesus Through Necromancy (Gittin 56b) Part 2
February 02, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBLength: 1 hour 36 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/2/24), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued our analysis of the wacky midrash we started last week. I was nervous because I had only had a few steps to bring to the table prior to starting shiur, but thanks to the combined powers of the minds of those who attended, we managed to take MANY more steps and emerge with a unified understanding of this midrash! We also touched upon a number of methodological tips along the way, in...
Avos 4:2 - Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah, v'Aveirah Goreres Aveirah (Part 1)
February 02, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBLength: 1 hour 33 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/1/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began a new mishnah about how we should relate to mitzvos and aveiros. We spent the first half of shiur raising questions and taking some steps on our own, and we spent the second half of shiur learning the approaches of Rabbeinu Yonah and Meiri, which answered all of our questions. I'd like to spend at least one more week on this mishnah, beginning with the Rambam. ----- מקורות: ...
ChatGPTorah Talk: Berachah on Milah, "Can ChatGPT Give Brisker Sevara?" (and a Salmon Recipe)
February 01, 2024 17:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBLength: 25 minutes Synopsis: I got so much feedback on my first experimental episode of ChatGPTorah Talk that I decided to do another spontaneous one. In this talk, I discuss two topics with ChatGPT4: (1) I raise some questions that we tackled in my tefilah shiur last night and we engage in a little chavrusa learning, (2) I raise a question posed to me by one of my listeners about the limitations of ChatGPT and, specfically, whether it'll be able to come up with sevara which meets the standa...
Yisro: Rambam – On Miracles as a Foundation of Belief
February 01, 2024 12:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBLength of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 16 minutes 52 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/1/24, entitled: Yisro: Rambam – On Miracles as a Foundation of Belief. I was asked by several people to clarify the Rambam's view on the different roles played by the pre-Sinai miracles and the Revelation at Sinai. This article reflects my current understanding, and is essentially a walkthrough of the major poin...
Q&A #35: Vengeance, Struggles with God, Footnote 4, Changing Jobs, Prioritizing Emotional Quiescence
January 31, 2024 16:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBLength: 45 minutes Synopsis: This morning (1/31/24), in our unplanned Q&A, we took up four questions: (1) How do we reconcile a yearning for God to avenge the deaths of Jews with the fact that revenge is prohibited? (2a) What should a person do if they're encountering struggles in their relationship with God? (2b) In attempting to answer that question, I ended up reading almost the entirety of Footnote 4 from Halakhic Man, (3) Judaism addresses most situations in life, but what does it have ...
That Time Onkelos Resurrected Jesus Through Necromancy (Gittin 56b) Part 1
January 26, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBLength: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This morning (1/26/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we took up a wild midrash involving Onkelos raising Titus, Bilaam, and Jesus from the grave to ask him whether he should convert to Judaism. We read through the midrash, raised a bunch of questions, then took a first step in our analysis by familiarizing ourselves with R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's six categories of aggadic drashos and five categories of Talmudic anecdotes. Next time (בג"ה) we'll...
Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Mechubad? (Who is Honored?)
January 26, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBLength: 1 hour 1 minute Synopsis: This evening (1/25/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the fourth and final clause of Ben Zoma's statement. But we didn't do JUST that. We learned the Sforno's commentary on the entire mishnah, which ties all four clauses together from the final one. We didn't end up revisiting Rashi from the last shiur, but I'm satisfied by all the ideas we came up with. Time to move on to the next mishnah and say hadran alach to this one! ---...
My Eulogy for Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal, the "Johnny Appleseed of Torah"
January 26, 2024 02:00 - 7 minutes - 4.84 MBLength of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 6 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal passed away on Tu bi’Shvat 5784. You may not know who he was, but all the Torah I teach is thanks to him. If you've learned from me, I implore you to read or listen to this. ----- This eulogy is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal, zt"l, whose Torah changed worlds. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/ra...
Bo: Eizov – The Humble Herb that Ended Egypt
January 19, 2024 05:00 - 8 minutes - 5.52 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 9 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/19/24, entitled: Bo: Eizov – The Humble Herb that Ended Egypt. Have you ever wondered why Hashem us to use eizov (hyssop) to smear the blood of the Korban Pesach on the doorposts? Here's my favorite answer, from Ralbag, with a speculative addendum of my own. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of January has...
Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Ashir? (Who is Wealthy?) Part 1
January 19, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBLength: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/18/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the third clause of Ben Zoma's teaching. We began with the straightforward explanation of the Meiri, then moved on to Rashi and Rabbeinu Yonah. We spent the remaining time analyzing Rabbeinu Yonah and succeeded in gleaning some major insights from his approach. Next time (bli neder) we'll come back to Rashi and perhaps some other meforshim. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א מאירי רש...
Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Ashir? (Who is Wealthy?)
January 19, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBLength: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/18/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the third clause of Ben Zoma's teaching. We began with the straightforward explanation of the Meiri, then moved on to Rashi and Rabbeinu Yonah. We spent the remaining time analyzing Rabbeinu Yonah and succeeded in gleaning some major insights from his approach. Next time (bli neder) we'll come back to Rashi and perhaps some other meforshim. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א מאירי רש...
Why I Identify With Radak
January 17, 2024 05:00 - 11 minutes - 7.71 MBLength of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 10 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: Which classical Biblical commentator do YOU identify with? With whom do you connect on a personal or existential level, and why? In this experimental piece I explain why, for me, the answer is: Radak. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of January has been sponsored by someone who would like to remain anonymous, in honor of Hashem and all His kindness! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, pleas...
Rambam: On Beating Tetris (and Rabbi Moskowitz: On Playing Tiddlywinks)
January 12, 2024 05:00 - 13 minutes - 9.51 MBLength of article: 4 pages Length of audio: 12 minutes 58 seconds Synopsis: What might the Rambam say about professional gamers? What might he say about recreational gamers? I don't know for sure, but this is what I think, guided by the wisdom of my rebbi. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Avital as a way of saying "thank you for your teaching advice and philosophy." Thank YOU, Avital, for continuing to learn Torah with me for seven years and counting! ----- If you'...
Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Gibor? (Who is Mighty?)
January 12, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBLength: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/11/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the second clause of Ben Zoma's teaching, and we went about it in a different way than we usually do. Instead of learning multiple meforshim, we pretty much stuck to the Abravanel. We were rewarded with a new and nuanced take on what it means to be a gibor! ----- מקורות: אבות ה:כא אברבנאל רשב"ץ ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Avital as a way o...
ChatGPTorah Talk with Rabbi Schneeweiss on Proverbs 16:32
January 09, 2024 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBI've been obsessed with ChatGPT 4 and the voice interface option on the ChatGPT phone app. I decided on a whim to do a little demonstration this morning of how sophisticated ChatGPT has become. Listen to the following discussion in which I discuss Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:32 with ChatGPT and you'll see that this technology has moved far past the cutesy uses we played with a little over a year ago. You'll also be astonished by how realistic the AI voice is. Sure, you'll hear a few quirks and err...
ChatGPTorah Talk: On Proverbs 16:32
January 09, 2024 17:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBI've been obsessed with ChatGPT 4 and the voice interface option on the ChatGPT phone app. I decided on a whim to do a little demonstration this morning of how sophisticated ChatGPT has become. Listen to the following discussion in which I discuss Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:32 with ChatGPT and you'll see that this technology has moved far past the cutesy uses we played with a little over a year ago. You'll also be astonished by how realistic the AI voice is. Sure, you'll hear a few quirks and err...
Sforno's Counterintuitive Take on Makkas Bechoros and Korban Pesach (REDUX)
January 07, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 66 MBLength: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: The YBT Sunday Shiur I gave this morning (1/7/24) is an updated version of a shiur I gave exactly two years ago (1/7/22). The focus of the shiur is the Sforno's answer to two basic questions: (1) Who carried out Makkas Bechoros (the Plague of the Firstborn)? (2) What is the purpose of the Korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice)? What makes Sforno's approach counterintuitive? Because he holds that the Korban Pesach has absolutely nothing to do with Makkas Bechor...
Rabbi Moskowitz on Shalom Bayis and Toilet Paper
January 05, 2024 15:00 - 4 minutes - 2.87 MBLength of the article: 1.5 pages Length of the audio: 3 minutes 17 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/5/24, entitled: Rabbi Moskowitz on Shalom Bayis and Toilet Paper. A chance encounter with a unique toilet paper holder reminded me of an idea from Rabbi Moskowitz that I wanted to share with all of you. May you think of this every time you see a toilet paper roll. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of ...
Avos 5:21 - Pirkei Avos: On Turning Forty
January 05, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBLength: 1 hour 27 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/4/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took a break from the mishnah we've been working on to do something timely. Next week is my 40th birthday, and whenever I reach a numerical milestone like that, I like to revisit the mishnah in Pirkei Avos about the different ages of our lives. Tonight we read through the entire mishnah but focused on the ages of 20, 30, 40, and 50. In addition to the ideas we learned about those ...
The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Three Changes for January 2024
January 02, 2024 05:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBLength of the article: 6.5 pages Length of the audio: 18 minutes 44 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 6.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/1/24, entitled: The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Three Changes for January 2024. This is my announcement for a major change I intend to make in my substak writing, and a chronicle of the epiphany which led to that change. Feel free to skip to the end for the bottom line. ----- The Torah content for thi...
Vayechi: Don’t Stop Working Or Else You’ll Die (Especially If You’re Not Jewish)
December 29, 2023 19:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBLength of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 39 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/29/23, entitled: Vayechi: Don’t Stop Working Or Else You’ll Die (Especially If You’re Not Jewish). Did you know that, according to Rashi, a non-Jew is forbidden to take a day off of work? Torah Temimah's elucidation of a strange midrash on Yaakov Avinu's death sheds light on Rashi's strict view. ----- The Torah...
Vayigash: May [the Word of] God Be With You (Rough Draft)
December 22, 2023 03:00 - 10 minutes - 6.92 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 9 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/22/23, entitled: Vayigash: May [the Word of] God Be With You (Rough Draft). I intended to write about a specific pasuk in this week's parashah, but ended up writing all the background info and concepts without getting to the main topic. Oh well. I hope you learn something! ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah ha...
Asarah b'Teves 5784: Ezkerah Matzok (Selichos Exploration)
December 21, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBLength: 1 hour 11 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/20/23), in our Wednesday night Tefilah shiur, we decided to see if we could gain some insights into Asarah b'Teves, which is coming up this Friday. We began by going over some basic facts about the events we commemorate, as well as some NOT so basic facts, including the questions about the events of the 8th and 9th of Teves. We then read through the selichah and made our initial observations. Then we read through the Iyun Tefilah commentar...
Mikeitz: Self-Deprivation in Solidarity With Others Who Are Suffering
December 15, 2023 19:00 - 8 minutes - 6.02 MBLength of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 53 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/15/23, entitled: Mikeitz: Self-Deprivation in Solidarity With Others Who Are Suffering. Chazal learn from Yosef that it is prohibited to have marital relations during a famine. What is the nature of this prohibition? How should this be applied during the current Israel-Hamas war? ----- The Torah Content for Chan...
Mikeitz: Rabbeinu Bachya on Rabbeinu Bachya on Bitachon (Trust in Hashem)
December 15, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 45.4 MBLength: 1 hour 5 minutes Synopsis: This morning (12/15/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we read and discussed Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher's introduction to Parashas Mikeitz (which I had NOT prepared in advance) in which he expounds on Mishlei 3:5 by summarizing the eight levels of bitachon in the writings of Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda. This was never intended to be a full shiur, but it adequately served as an introduction to the topic of bitachon and gave us plenty to think about a...
Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Chacham? (Who is Wise?) Part 1
December 15, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBLength: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/14/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began Chapter 4 with Ben Zoma's well-known teaching. Tonight we focused on his treatment of "chacham." We learned the views of five Rishonim. I'd like to stick with this same topic next week, not only because of its importance, but because there are some particular questions which came up that I'd like to investigate in more depth. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א תהלים קיט:צז-קד חגיגה דף...
Chanukah 5784: Maimonian Doughnuts and My Current Understanding of Minhag (FREE version)
December 14, 2023 12:00 - 7 minutes - 4.97 MBLength of FREE article: 1 page Length of FREE recording: 6 minutes 20 seconds Length of FULL article: 2 pages Length of FULL recording: 8 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the FREE version of the article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/14/23, entitled: Chanukah 5784: Maimonian Doughnuts and My Current Understanding of Minhag. I thought sufganiot were not a real minhag until a surprising source made me reconsider. I explain my former reasoning in t...